To those who celebrate, happy Easter, happy Passover, and happy Feelgood Friday.

Speaking of Easter, did you know that the most popular non-chocolate Easter candy in the US is produced in the Lehigh Valley?

Peeps, the beloved marshmallow chicks and bunnies that come in a variety of flavors and colors depending on the holiday season, have been manufactured by Bethlehem-based Just Born since 1953.

First hatched in yellow, the sugary confections are available in nine colors—including pink, blue, and lavender—and more than a dozen flavors—from a Harry Potter-themed butterbeer, to chili lime mango, to Dr Pepper, and sour watermelon—this Easter season.

Fun fact: The demand for Peeps is so high that about 5.5 million are made each day. That adds up to 2 billion a year. To put it another way, the amount of Peeps produced each year could circle the earth twice.

Looking for more fun facts about Peeps? You’ve come to the right place.

Even though it felt more like winter in my area on Thursday, my flower beds coming back to life tell me that spring has definitely arrived. We’d like to know: What’s your favorite thing about spring in Pennsylvania?

“The beginning of trout season. It’s a chance to get out in the fresh air with the kids. Teach them a relaxing sport they could enjoy and then pass on to their kids.”

—Francis Zap, Tresckow

“I love when all my grandkids get dressed up for Easter, just as I loved my kids getting dressed for Easter back in the day. It’s always been such a wonderful part of spring for our family.”

—Teresa B., Pittsburgh

“Flowers blooming, grass greening, and the Mister Softee song playing in the early evening as the ice cream man makes his rounds again after a long, cold, brutal winter—all that good stuff!”

—Michael, Montgomery County

“Spring means I get to watch my grandson and granddaughter play high school baseball and softball respectively. I’ll only have this for a few more years, so I savor every second.”

—Robert D’Angelini, Luzerne County

Tell us your favorite thing about spring in the commonwealth, and please let us know where you live!

A woman being served at a café. (Tahir Osman/Unsplash)

Dining at a pay-what-you-can restaurant doesn’t feel too different from eating at a traditional one. Guests order from a menu and sit among neighbors and strangers doing the same. What makes the experience unique is how the bill works: some guests pay the suggested price for their meal; others pay less; some pay more to support the restaurant; and some may not pay at all.

The model allows people from different economic circumstances to share the same dining experience and ensures that anyone in the community can enjoy a restaurant-quality meal, no matter their ability to pay.

Pennsylvania currently has several pay-what-you-can cafes, along with dozens of restaurants that offer pay-it-forward programs where diners have the option of paying a little extra to donate a meal or drink to someone else.

• Based upon this Instagram post, it looks like baseball’s top prospect, 19-year-old shortstop Konnor Griffin, will make his big league debut with the Pirates at Friday afternoon’s home opener. Get the story here.

• More good sports news out of western Pa.: Gannon University men’s basketball team will play for the NCAA Division II championship Saturday in Indianapolis against Landers University. Get a preview of the game here.

• Hersheypark opens for the season Friday, and more amusement parks across the state are opening soon. Find out when your fave Pa. theme park opens in this story.

• Saturday’s birthday celebration for a new miniature cow at Pennsbury Manor represents a joyful turn from a somber winter, when the historic Bucks County site lost its beloved pair of black steer. We have the story here. 

A replica of an abandoned anthracite coal mine greets visitors at the entrance of Moscow’s Ferri’s Pizza, which has been in business since 1936. (Patrick Berkery/The Keystone)

ICYMI: we rolled out a newsletter called Pizzavania a couple of months back (subscribe here—no pressure), where we share the stories behind some of Pa.’s most beloved and unique pizzerias, like Ferri’s Pizza in Moscow, Lackawanna County.

The 90-year-old pizzeria holds the distinction of being “The area’s only anthracite coal mine theme pizza shop,” as their pizza box proclaims. Third-generation owner Bill Ferri had a keen interest in the history of the region’s anthracite coal mines his grandfather worked in and collected dozens of artifacts which are exhibited throughout the shop.

Ferri’s is also considered the home of the potato pizza. They served up the first potato pie in 1985, upon request from a customer. Forty-plus years later, the shop has become a go-to spot in NEPA for those looking to get their potato pizza fix during Lent.

Thanks for reading. This newsletter was written by Patrick Berkery with stories from Kalena Thomhave, The Associated Press, and USA Today via Reuters Connect. It was edited by Paula Solis.

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